Ethics, morals and character; where do they all fit, if they
fit in at all, in this sport we call hunting? Do they have a place…or is it
likened to how some successful business men say “You must check those things at
the door in order to succeed.”
I never thought a simple decision made back on November 13,
2012 would cause a slew of conversations between other hunters and myself. That
morning I passed up a shot on an absolute brute of a buck, I’m almost positive
it wasn’t either of my target bucks (pictured below) but BIGGER. Why did I not
shoot? Well it was approximately 15 minutes before legal shooting time. I could
see clear enough. I could even make out the crease behind his front leg enough
to tuck an arrow into the boiler room…but personally could not do it.
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| RD on the left, All Wheel Drive (AWD) on the right |
As many of us do I wanted to share this story (incredible
encounter) with my father, friends/family and some hunting forums where fellow
hunters share my passion. One such forum was bowhunting.com a site I frequent
and even have a link for it on blog/site. It became quite clear that this story
had triggered quite the opposing viewpoints, prompting a desire to learn what
most hunters would have done given the same situation. So I created a poll (can
see thread
HERE) and asked guys to share thoughts and honestly vote on the poll
question…to say I was shocked by the results would be an understatement.
Here are the results of the poll as of 2-1-2013:
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| Click to enlarge |
At the beginning of this article I opened with asking if
ethics, morals and character belong in hunting…what about lawful obedience?
While most would agree that to be ethical or moral (and have good character) typically
goes hand in hand with obeying laws…however that is the one thing this
discussion opened my eyes to. Some hunters feel it is still 100% ethical to
take the shot and proved to me that each man or woman may define ethical or
morally “okay” in a different way.
(Now allow me to
preface the rest of this article with this advance warning; this is my opinion and no one else’s. Some
will share my thoughts, some will not. I just pray you realize this was
attempted to be typed with respect but at the same time honesty. However, that
said this is my article so of course the opinions shared here will be in line
with what I believe. Thanks.)
The sport of hunting for me is one which I can remember
doing as far back as I can remember. Yeah, at first it revolved purely around
those bushy tailed tree rats we call squirrels, but it was hunting and I loved every minute of it.
It actually was a way I supplemented my income for a time when I was in my
teenage years. I had relatives who would purchase squirrels and rabbits from me
at a good price to them and more than fair for a teenage boy. Needless to say I
shot many a squirrel and learned many a valuable lesson along the way.
It all started with gun safety but once I mastered the art
of shooting my father began teaching me the laws of hunting. He explained to me
the concept of property lines and trespassing. He explained to me there are bag
limits and why. He explained to me how to respect the animal I hunt and not
torment it with long painful deaths if they could be avoided. Overall my father
taught me to respect the sport of hunting and honor it because I was choosing
to play the “game” of hunting if you will. Not to mention I was raised that
while animals were here for our consumption they were not put here for our
abuse.
Now there are many laws in the hunting world as we all know,
and to be honest from state to state it at times can take hours of studying the
laws to know and realize the differences…Indiana where I grew up, the one law I’ve
always hated is that one cannot shoot at or into a squirrel’s nest. Many a time
I’d witness a squirrel flee into one just before I could get a shot off or
immediately after a failed shot from my .22 would happen. As much as I hated that law, I
followed it because it was the right thing to do…chalk up that victory to the
squirrel for the time being.
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| Taken from Google images |
As I graduated from squirrel/rabbit to whitetail deer my
eyes could not believe the amount of laws for deer hunting. However, I studied
them and made sure every time I hit the woods I had the proper orange if
required, the in-season weaponry and a watch to keep track of legal shooting
times. It’s that last one that triggered this article to be written so let’s
focus on it.
I didn’t give it much thought as I would shove my watch in a
pocket or put my cell phone in my pocket in order to know the time before I’d
head for my tree or ground blind, I just did it. I can still remember one of
the very first hunts for the whitetail deer I had some does come by after legal
light. I had my 12 gauge and had no doubt the 11 yard shot to the base of my tree
would have been easy but didn’t take it. I just knew it was the right thing to
do, as much as I hated it. That first season I would hunt all throughout gun
season till the last weekend of it and finally harvest a small doe on a
frigid day where I remember everything was freezing (breath, snot…) It didn’t
have to take that long, I could have shot a doe that one night after legal time…
With each passing year of hunting that followed that first
one I truly began to respect the deer I hunted more than ever before. It’s
amazing the more you research them, work to attract them or have encounters with them you begin to “know”
them more and more; that for me at least causes an even more immense amount of
respect to the animal God has blessed us with.
That respect that grew is what caused me to take my release
off the string early in the morning on 11-13-2012. However, it isn’t just my
respect for the animal I chase that kept me from shooting, no there is 4 other “respect”
driven reasons that helped me not release an arrow.
I respected myself too much to do it. I have worked incredibly
hard to attempt to be a man who can look in the mirror and say I’m proud of the
man looking back. If I’d shot that morning not only could I have never looked
at the mount on the wall with pride, I couldn’t have looked in the mirror with
pride about the decision I made.
I respected my parents and family too much to do it. My
parents tried very hard to raise me right. I’ve failed them more times than I
can count but as I grow older I’m beginning to see how much they have impacted
my life and I desire nothing more than to make them proud. If I’d shot that
morning illegally they’d have never respected my decision and whether they would
admit it or not their pride for me would have been slightly tarnished yet
again.
I respected the game I’ve chosen to play far too much to do
it. I’m not hunting to survive, I can’t ignore laws and regulations. I choose
each year to play by the rules set before me by my state or any other state I
hunt in. By having a legal license I have agreed to play by those rules and
will not shatter that agreement in a greedy attempt to hold some antlers.
I respected my fellow hunters too much to do it. Far far too
many times we read of hunting celebrities or even your common man breaking game
laws to grab some calcium deposits (antlers). It is a sad truth that the
anti-hunting communities see these stories and strengthen their view of us even
more. If I’d shot that morning I’d have been no better than any other hunter
who has knowingly broken a law for the harvest of an animal I did not “need”.
When it all boils down to it, I simply held way to much
respect for the animal, myself, my family, my fellow brethren and the laws to
loosen that arrow that morning. Some can justify shooting in a situation like I was faced, but as for me I can’t even begin to attempt to justify it. By even
attempting to, my credibility as a man is gone.
That is why when or if the Lord ever blesses my wife and I
with a young hunter I will stress nothing greater than respect for the animal they’re
chasing. Respect for themselves and how their decisions affect their character.
Respect for the hunting community and how they are part of something bigger to
represent than themselves. Respect for the laws of the “game” they choose to play when
hitting the woods each and every time.
So really I guess you could say I did not loosen an arrow
that morning so that some day when some little snot nosed blonde mop headed kid
looks up at their dad and asks, “Can I shoot into its nest?”…I’ll be able to
smile and say, “Nope, it won this round.” Call me crazy but give me the ability
to do that over any trophy hung up on a wall any day.
What will you be able to say? That is something only you can decide.
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| Taken from Google images |
